With the official reveal less than a month away, the web is abounding with all kinds of rumors about Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox 720. Of course we will present you here with the most plausible ones only.
The first rumor/info comes from Paul Thurrott. Last month Thurrott announced that the Xbox 720 reveal will take place in May 2013, so he gets bonus credibility for that. According to his latest info, Xbox 720 will launch in November 2013 for $499 or $299 with $10 monthly subscription.
Thurrott also confirmed that Xbox will have a Blu-ray drive and that it will be based on Windows 8 core.
Another set of rumors/info comes from Polygon who were told by their sources that the next Xbox console will introduce a lot of tweaks to Xbox Achievements, social networking, video sharing and – of course – copy protection.
If the rumors are to be believed, Xbox 720 will be able to record your gameplay like a DVR and share it on Facebook and Ustream. Players are able to turn video recording on and off at a whim and they can set it to auto-capture certain "magic moments" such as scoring a headshot or earning a specific achievement. Magic moment capturing is supported for next gen titles only.
The Xbox Achievements system is also getting a facelift. With the new Achievements system, developers will be able to modify and add new achievements to their game after launch without adding DLC. Developers will also be able to link their achievements to broader events such as a weekend challenge or a communal goal such as amassing 10,000 in one day. Furthermore, the new Achievements system will allow developers to add cross-game and cross-platform achievements. For example, a publisher might choose to award an achievement to players who finish the first level in three different games. Cross-platform achievements can be earned by performing tasks in a companion smartphone app, website or Xbox 360.
As for DRM, Polygon’s sources confirmed that Xbox 720 will require constant internet connection for non-gaming entertainment such as video streaming. They also elaborated that the console supports anti-piracy checks through the internet. As of now, Microsoft’s guidelines give developers the choice between one-time authentication over the internet and requiring constant internet connection while playing.
